Reborn As Noble Chapter 1412: The Price of Treason ( 1412 )

Javier shrugged, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

"Well... I don’t think we need to worry about Julius’s forces for now. Once they arrive, I’ll just launch mana missiles at their landing zones.. Or even better, just deploy the Mothership with a swarm of battle drones before they even land."

Everyone glanced at Javier before letting out a collective chuckle, some laughing lightly, others shaking their heads in fond amusement. Garius exhaled, a faint smirk on his lips.

"Javier..."

Javier paused, tilting his head with a sheepish grin. "Ah... yes, Esteemed Father?"

Garius pinched the bridge of his nose, still smirking. "Your thoughts on the Vurghen matter?"

Javier straightened, offering a playful salute before lifting another document.

"Right. In my opinion, reopening the northern border is a good move. It will restore trade, boost morale, and show that Armand remains strong and stable despite the chaos around us. As for Vurghen... It might be a good opportunity for us to meet with the surviving heirs first. A direct meeting could give us a clearer picture of their intentions. We could send a delegation to meet with the surviving heir, gauge his sincerity, and determine whether he is someone worth backing. If he is genuine, we gain a strategic foothold in the north. If not, we lose nothing but time."

Garius nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.

"We’ve been watching the second son for years, while his father was still alive. Among all thirteen sons and several daughters from multiple wives, the second son from the first wife stood out. He was different. Righteous, capable, and genuinely concerned for the welfare of his people. He opposed his father’s hostility toward Armand and quietly sought ways to improve his region’s relations with us, though he was always overruled."

He paused, his gaze steady.

"As for the youngest daughter, she is different as well. While she kept a low profile, our reports indicate she shares her brother’s ideals. She has been quietly supporting relief efforts for the common folk within their region, often using her own allowance to buy food and medicine for the poor. She may not have the authority to change policy, but her heart is in the right place."

He leaned back, crossing his arms.

"Given what we know, it would not hurt us to extend a hand. Helping them would not only secure a strategic foothold but also place a worthy ruler in control of that region. As for the daughter, if she is still alive and with him, she could serve as a stabilizing force for the people, someone who understands their struggles and can rally their trust. If they prove genuine, we gain a loyal ally in the north. If they prove false, we lose nothing we cannot afford."

"Yes, Father. I agree with your assessment. If the second son and his sister are as genuine as our reports suggest, then extending our support would be a wise investment. Not just strategically, but morally. A ruler who cares for his people is worth more than a hundred fortresses."

Garius nodded, reaching for his drink and taking a slow sip before setting it down. He glanced at the reports and documents spread across the table.

"Now, Javier... what are your thoughts on how easily Lurghen and Vurghen were captured?"

Javier rubbed his chin, his eyes narrowing.

"That’s the part that bothers me, Father. Lurghen fell without a single border skirmish. No resistance, no reports of fighting, no calls for reinforcements. It’s as if the border guards simply stepped aside and let the Haghrab forces walk in. That level of coordination suggests either the soldiers were bribed or there was a pre-existing agreement between the Haghrab Household and the high-ranking officers or generals of Lurghen’s army."

He paused, tapping his finger on the map.

"As for Vurghen, being squeezed from three sides with no way out... it’s a classic pincer strategy. Whoever orchestrated this knew exactly when to strike and how to isolate them. This wasn’t a spontaneous attack. It was planned, likely months in advance. The assassination of the lord and his wife was the trigger, and the fall of Lurghen was the first domino."

He paused, his voice dropping into a more measured tone.

"They also knew that the Lurghen Household has been openly hostile toward Armand for years, even back when our family was still just a noble house under the Human Kingdom. They thought that the surviving heirs would be too proud, or too ashamed, to ask for our help. They counted on that pride isolating them further and assumed that the remaining heirs would rather fall than seek aid from a nation they once opposed."

"True." Garius nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.

"Most people, when facing a crisis, will follow their pride before their reason, especially those who have spent years positioning themselves as your rivals. They would rather fall, see their lands burn than admit they were wrong, or ask for help from those they once scorned. It is a common flaw in human nature. Pride often outweighs pragmatism, especially among nobles who have built their identities on opposition to us."

He paused, his gaze steady.

"And it is a flaw that for those who seek power are all too willing to exploit. The ones behind this scheme knew exactly how to turn the Lurghen Household’s own stubbornness against them. They didn’t just plan a military takeover; they orchestrated a political and psychological trap. They isolated them, made them desperate, and then watched as their pride kept them from reaching out for the one hand that could have saved them/"

His gaze lingering on the map of the Human Nation.

"But what they failed to account for is that the second son is not like his father. Pride does not rule him. He has spent years quietly building bridges, even when he was overruled at every turn. And now, when his people need him most, he is willing to set aside that pride and reach out to us. That alone tells me more about his character than any act of valor ever could."

Garius’s gaze lingered on the map of the Human Nation before his expression turned serious. He looked around the room, his eyes sweeping across Alf, Erinette, Hesbeirn, all his wives, and finally his sons, before landing on Javier.

"The question now is this, Javier." Garius’s voice dropped into a measured, deliberate tone.

"What is your stance on the betrayers? The Lurghen soldiers who stepped aside and allowed the enemy to conquer their own region. The ones who now march alongside the Garka Army from the west, the Northern forces pressing from above, and the Haghrab forces advancing from the east. What should be their fate?"

Javier met his father’s gaze without hesitation, his voice calm and cold.

"Just like the Mathrias soldiers who betrayed their lord and their people, those scumbags will face the same consequences. Death."

He paused, his eyes hardening.

"Our family principle is clear. Betrayal will never be forgiven. Those who turn their backs on their sworn lord, who sell out their own people for coin or promises, do not deserve a second chance nor mercy. They made their choice. Now they will face the price."

( End Of Chapter )